What is the cause of racism?

Answer 1

There is no single or exact cause for racism. There are numerous factors that contribute to it that include:

• A fear of people who are different- xenophobia.
• A need in some people to feel superior.
• A need in some people for dominance: Humans are heirarchical animals and a heirarchy requires that some members be in a lower position. Racism helps some people to rationalize the dominance of one group over another politically, economically and socially in some areas of the world.
• Some governments use racism to excuse and perpetuate oppression.
• Feelings in some people that attempts to end discrimination and protection of basic human rights are instead special rights given over to one group.
• Long standing historic patterns of prejudice and the reality of slavery since the earliest human civilizations have contributed to modern racism. Slavery is still practiced in many parts of the world and was part of the common culture in the ancient world and lasted until modern times in the West. Racism thrives under systems that support slavery since the slavers must justify their actions by a fiction of superiority.
• For some people who feel insecure in their own status prejudicial attitudes boost their self esteem.
• A need in some people to be part of a group even when that group holds negative attitudes toward individuals who are members of different groups.
• Stereotypical thinking and rigid belief systems.
• Ancient survival instincts.
• Lack of diversity where one lives.
• Social and economic status.
• Older generations can sometimes pass on beliefs of hatred to a new generation, and in turn the young ones grow up believing in what has been taught to them.
• Many people are raised in racist families. They also think of themselves as being better than others who are different.
• Fear and ignorance. People see the person of another race as a threat to their own position and status and as a self-protective measure they react with a negative response.
• Many people harbor racist tendencies that ooze out, especially in homogenous groups and anonymous internet chat rooms and forums. That freedom of anonymity helps to perpetuate racism.

Answer 2

I personally think that the roots of racism are from a time when humans lived in small tribal groups and had to be defensive or suspicious of other groups in order to keep their group safe. Racism is a universal human trait practiced by almost all societies throughout history. Today, we know that racism is dangerous and counterproductive to a peaceful society and that danger to ourselves and out communities comes as much from within our own groups as from those who are different from us. I think it is up to us as individuals to recognize our own innate bigotries and try to overcome them and if we have the opportunity, to oppose bigotry when we see it around us.

Please see the link below for a clear description of racism and hate groups.

Answer 3

There is not one single person that is the root cause of racism. It is people in general, and the way our minds work. If everyone cause learn to accept that everyone around us is the same person underneath, no racism would ever exist.

Answer 4

Other people acting in an offensive or harmful way.